清乾隆 鎏金銅朱雀玄武紋編鐘

the bell sturdily cast of slightly flattened barrel form, suspended from a handle modelled with scrolling clouds above angular motifs, flanked by two pairs of cranes and phoenix flying amidst swirling clouds on the top, the sides further decorated with five bands of alternating bosses and foliate scrolls or stylised flames, interrupted on each of the wider sides with a rectangular panel framed with ruyi scrolls and raised on a lotus pedestal, further divided on each of the narrower sides with a panel densely cast with a five-clawed dragon chasing for a 'flaming pearl', all below a frieze of xuanwu ('dragon tortoise') amid foliate scrolls and phoenix among flames encircling the top, similarly decorated at the bottom with a border of foliate scrolls and flames

Similar to another example sold in our Paris rooms in 2010, this bell has a circular aperture of approx. 4.6 cm diameter cut with associated cracks and chips on each side near the border rim (visible in catalogue). There are also occasional casting flaws, some expected tarnishing, oxidation spots and pitting, minor surface dents, as well as typical scratches and wear to the gilding.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This magnificent bell is impressive for its crisply cast decoration and lavish gilding. Modelled after Zhou dynasty archetypes, bells of this type accompanied every official event, from temple offerings for the God of Grain, Confucius and royal ancestors, to court assemblies, festivals and holiday celebrations. Usually employed together with complementary jade chimes (qing), the struck tones of this bells had cosmological significance and were considered a means by which to summon the immortals. The harmony and pitch of the tones also served as a reminder of the importance of consonance and order and therefore as a mirror on society.

During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, gilt-bronze bells of this type were assembled in sets of sixteen producing twelve musical tones, with four tones repeated in a higher or lower octave. Cast in equal size but varying thickness, these bells were set in two rows and attached to tall elaborate wooden frames as depicted by Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766) in his painting Imperial Banquet in Wanshu Garden, included in the exhibition Splendors of China’s Forbidden City. The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong, The Field Museum, Chicago, 2004, cat. no. 101.

The present bell is unusual in its decorative scheme and only a small number of closely related examples, possibly from the same set, appear to have been published; the first was sold in our Paris rooms, 9th June 2010, lot 43; the second was sold at Christie’s London, 29th March 1966, lot 171. For a complete set of bells see one cast from gold, dated to 1791, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Treasures of Imperial Court, Hong Kong, 2007, pl. 5.